Ernie Els’s record in the British Open is of the highest order, but the suspicion remains that it could and should have been even better.
The big South African will be playing in his 17th Open Championship at Carnoustie this week with his one win to date coming in the 2002 edition at Muirfield, where he won a four-man play-off.
Against that he has three times finished runner-up and nine times finished in the top 10. A tremendous record, but one which still leaves him with some regrets.
”I had quite a few chances to win other ones,” Els said.
”Most recently [2004], obviously the play-off against Todd Hamilton. I felt I really played that well that week at Troon and didn’t get the most out of it.
”That’s as close as you can come to winning the Open, so that makes it even more disappointing.
”I had chances, too, at Lytham, about 10 years ago, with Tom Lehman.
”So, yeah, the chances came, but luckily I’ve won it before, so that’s nice.”
Els’s affection for links golf dates back to 1987 when he came over to Britain from South Africa as an amateur and gained vital experience on such championship courses as St Andrews and Royal Lytham.
It was love at first sight, he said.
”I always enjoyed the way you had to play these golf courses. I think it suits a strong hitter of the ball, especially when the wind starts blowing.
”You are either going to like it or not. Luckily for me I found a natural way to play links courses from a very early age.
”I just found a natural way of hitting bump and runs and hitting the ball low in the wind and taking more club and just kind of carving shots through some of these flat positions.”
Els could do with a good week at Carnoustie as he seeks his first tournament win of the year and first Major title in five years.
Equipment changes have seen him adopt a new putter, a new driver and use different shafts on his irons.
Those were tough to take on board all at the same time, he admits, but a closing 65 for third place in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond last weekend moved him up one place to fourth in the world rankings and provided a timely shot in the arm in the process.
On top of that he feels comfortable at Carnoustie, which he says is still the toughest on the Open rotation despite the changes made since 1999.
”It’s got length. It’s got great bunkering. You’ve really got to have your wits with you to play this golf course. And it seems like the wind always blows here,” he said.
”Every links shot you can think of gets tested here. It’s got everything.” — AFP
